New Deal Distillery
Overview of the distillery
New Deal Distillery in Portland started with the aim of making a single, good local vodka and has since grown into a craft distillery focused on local ingredients, small-batch production, and direct contact with customers via a bottle shop in the distillery itself. The place is interesting for those who want to experience a local producer that combines experimentation with a clear grounding in the Portland community.
History
The idea behind New Deal arose in the early 2000s as a desire to make a local vodka and create something that speaks to Portland culture. After a period of experimentation and product development, the company received its license in June 2004 and began production. The early batches were tested closely, and the company learned through repeated experiments. Over time, New Deal has expanded its range to also include other types of spirits, participated in local marketing activities, and offered education; for example, in 2020 courses teaching enthusiasts and industry professionals the basics of distillation and mixology are noted.
Raw materials and production
New Deal operates in small batches and emphasizes local and natural ingredients. The manifesto highlights a desire to source as much as possible from the local area and to experiment with natural infusions and flavor variants. In addition to production, the distillery runs a bottle shop in the same building, which serves as a direct sales and pickup point. The company also runs courses where they share technical knowledge about distillation and about composing finished beverages, which supports an open, learning-oriented approach to the craft.
Aging and cask types
There are no details in the presented material about the use of specific cask types, aging periods, or barrel experiments. The focus in the communication instead lies on small-batch production, infusions, and local ingredients.
Whiskies
The documented range spans from their original vodka to various spirit and liqueur types, including a Coffee Liqueur, spiced rum, and rye-based products. Communications and blog posts show that New Deal works with both pure distillate products and flavor-added infusions. The concrete product details and official product pages were not part of the presented material.
Whiskies: Style and flavor profile
In the available descriptions, three overarching directions are highlighted: coffee (in their Coffee Liqueur), warm spices (in connection with spiced rum), and an earthy, spicy character associated with rye whiskey-related items. These directions appear in mentions and recipes and reflect the producer's work with both pure distillates and flavored variants.
Visit the distillery
The distillery has a bottle shop in the building itself, where you can shop walk-in daily from 12:00 to 18:00, and there is the option for local order pickup. Selected items can be delivered in the Portland Metro area via an external delivery service. For shipments to private addresses in the USA, purchase and fulfillment are handled by a third-party provider; New Deal itself does not ship directly to private addresses. Donations of Portland 90 Vodka to local 501(c)(3) organizations require an application via a special form, and approved donations must be picked up in the bottle shop by someone over 21.
The stated opening hours are Bottle Shop: Daily 12:00–18:00 (walk-in shopping). Local pickup daily.
Philosophy and craftsmanship
New Deal is built on the desire for local rootedness, honesty in production choices, and creating good things together in the community. The company prioritizes small-batch production, local ingredients, and experiments with natural infusions. There is also a focus on mutual respect, inclusion, and knowing the people you sell to — a direct, personal sales and customer-care approach rather than large advertising campaigns.